Live Creatively

Archive for the month “July, 2013”

Just before we were about to leave for Martha’s Vineyard, I received a package containing two new patterns which I’d been lusting after for a long time!

And pretty they sure are! I ordered the Belladone Dress because I love the back cut out and streamlined skirt of the dress and the Blouse Datura. I can see myself using up a lot of the cottons I have left over from making things for Dia. I didn’t blog about it but last year we went to Paris and what can I say. I am in LOVE! I love all things french now 🙂 Ok back to Deer & Doe.

So last night I traced off Datura and I even have the perfect fabric for it. I got this hand block printed fabric (all vegetable dyes! ) from India years ago. It’s the softest cotton ever. I have used a similar fabric in this top and I wear it all.the.time.

Colette Sencha

But, I needed a contrast fabric so I decided to check out my local fabric store – Quilter’s Way, right here in my town and right next door to a knitting store and a kitchen store. See where I am going with this… Yup, I came back home with a lot more stuff than I needed 🙂

I picked up these two basic cottons. Actually the maroon is quite cool with a slight tone on tone print. Donna, at the store was super helpful and I was able to find just the right fabrics.

Check it out. I am making the peter pan collar version. Black or Brown? Not sure…

Most of my fabric still comes from online stores but I sure am grateful for Quilter’s Way. The quilting manufacturers have actually started making really nice apparel quality fabrics and the prints are breathtaking. I’ve been using quite a few for Dia and starting to use for my clothing as well. Here are some photos I took there. I’ll write a full review on PatternReview soon too. Aren’t you dying for those polka dots? I AM!

Oh and Martha’s Vineyard, it was a blast. A perfect day! And this is one of the reasons I will never move 🙂

When Dia was born, one of the first things I bought for her was this green Janome Mini Sewing Machine. I know I know… I am usually not an impulsive buyer but if you hear me out, it makes sense.

If you know me at all, you know how much sewing means to me. And one of the things I wanted as a new mom was to expose Dia to it. I decided early on to educate her about all things in our home. And to involve her in our everyday activities. When I am in the kitchen cooking, she is there with me so its only natural that when I am sewing, she should be there too. Now, I know what you’re thinking … “The Pins!” Yes, with the pins, the scissors, the rotary blades, the whole thing.

When she was an infant, I would bring her tummy time mat into my studio and she would peacefully sleep while I sewed.

As she grew, she started enjoying spending time with me in my studio. When she was able to sit up, I created this sewing basket for her with odds and ends from my sewing room. In an ideal world, she would be sitting in one corner just playing with it. But as soon as she was able to move around, my drawers which were once organized? Not so much anymore. But the important thing is, that she kept herself occupied while I sewed.

Instead of putting everything away, which wouldn’t be practical for me, I decided to introduce her to all of these things. I showed her how scissors work and that they are sharp and not for little ones. I taught her how to pick up the pins from their heads. I am of course always in the room with her but the important thing is that I do let her explore.

One of the things she enjoys playing with is empty bobbins! She places them on top of each other and says “Look Mummy, I made a tower”.

And now my two year old is conversing like a sewing buddy! Here’s what happened the other day. I was talking to my brother on the phone. Dia wallks in with a measuring tape and starts measuring me. After a few seconds, looking very serious she says “29 inches”. I almost fell off the chair!

One day, I was busy tracing out a pattern on my table, Dia made herself comfortable on my sewing chair, and said “Mummy I need fabric.” When I asked “Why?” She said “Because I am sewing”.

At her day care, she likes to wrap scarves around other children and tell them that she made it for them.

When I sew, she hands me the pins and then puts them back on the magnetic pincushion.

Because I make a lot of clothes for her and take her photos for reviews, she thinks every time she gets dressed, we should take a photo of her. Have I created a DIVA????

I am writing this so I’ll remember how early she started sewing even if she didn’t churn out clothes every day 🙂 For us, it is about the journey rather than the end result. I feel that by making her a part of my life, she already has a head-start on all things sewing. Heck, I didn’t even know what basting was when I started sewing. Dia, knows her sewing jargon, so when it is time for her to actually sew on her Janome, she’ll be fearless and winding bobbins like a pro 🙂